Top 10 Photographs For 2009

Inspired by Darwin Wiggett`s blog post, I made a list of favorite photos from 2009. This may not be everyone`s favorites, but the ones I think are most expressive, shows the wonders of nature or the ones accomplished by efforts and careful planning. Hope you enjoy them and I would love to hear which of these you think is the favorite of yours.

*click on the images if you want to see the photos larger

 

Arctic Light - Copyright © Seung Kye Lee. Do not use without permission.

- Huk. February 2009. That month, Oslo City area, had one of the most massive snowfalls during 24 hrs. in decades. Many places around Oslo Fjord looked like something from the Arctic. On this foggy afternoon, the impression of light was enhanced by all the ice and snow.

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Rondane - Whispering Wind - Copyright © Seung Kye Lee. Do not use without permission.

- The base of Rondvasshøgdi Mountain in Rondane Nasjonalpark. March 2009. I was on a mountain trek and one of the mornings the light was flickering through the clouds driven by the wind.

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Asdøljuvet - Illuminata Suite - Copyright © Seung Kye Lee. Do not use without permission.

- Asdøljuvet Gorge. October 2009. By visiting this gorge as often as possible in October, I was fortunate to wait in dripping rain before shooting this location at the color peak of autumn foliage.

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Dørålen - King Winter - Copyright © Seung Kye Lee. Do not use without permission.

- Dørålen in Rondane Nasjonalpark. October 2009. One of the most visited parts of Rondane, known for it`s awesome autumn colors in front of a landscape of mountains. I was blessed to experience what I hoped for; first snow on the mountains while the autumn birches still were full of gold.

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Asdøljuvet - Pleiades - Copyright © Seung Kye Lee. Do not use without permission.

- Asdøljuvet Gorge. December 2009. Just before everything froze over, I managed to make this photo inspired by a dream I had.

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Haiku - Copyright © Seung Kye Lee. Do not use without permission.

- Skårer. December 2009. This was shot a 5 min. walk from our house. It was an inviting -20 degrees Celsius morning and as the sun came over the horizon a gathering of frosted, sidelit trees became focus of attention. I had my camera with me, but had no idea that it actually would be useful that morning.

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Asdøljuvet - Sub Zero - Copyright © Seung Kye Lee. Do not use without permission.

- Asdøljuvet Gorge. December 2009. After visiting Asdøljuvet every day for a week to see how the water chrystallized day by day, this is one of my favorites from the main waterfall. Two days earlier there was still water running and here everything has turned to solid ice. This may be my favorite December photo.

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Coenagrionoidea - Copyright © Seung Kye Lee. Do not use without permission.

- Alnabru. June 2009. Backlit by the rising sun and by using a tiny mirror (size of a finger nail) I reflected light onto this damsel fly. Before the sun rises, damsel flies often sits one place and wait for the sun to dry off their wet wings after a moist summers night. It required a lot of work just to get a good angle, not to scare the damsel fly (..too much) and to nail the exposure. All along, the damsel fly watched me with one eye hidden behind the grass.

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Sohlbergplassen - Time Dimensions - Copyright © Seung Kye Lee. Do not use without permission.

- View from Sohlbergplassen towards Rondane Nasjonalpark. October 2009. As the wind brought all sorts of clouds in different shapes, I waited to see if something special would happen over the mountains. I particularly like these mountains due to their pyramidical shapes. As these clouds “clicked” into place I was fortunate to have a minute of light on the mountains which was critical to make a successful photo of this unique moment.

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Rondane - Winter Light - Copyright © Seung Kye Lee. Do not use without permission.

- Rondvassbu in Rondane Nasjonalpark. March 2009. Landscape photography requires a lot of work from the photographer, but without the luck to be at the right place at the right time, where would we be? Standing on a hill waiting for good light, I accidentally turned around and saw two skiers approach this frozen lake called Rondvatnet. As I knew where they would make a good element for showing the scale of the landscape, I set up my camera and waited for their arrival at the point where I wanted them to be in the photo. During the time I waited, the sky opened up and revealed another mountain in the distance…it was really like magic and the light present just before they started to ski downhill made this my favorite b&w photo from central Rondane Nasjonalpark.

When the moments are revealed, I never think about what there is to achieve, or if I can achieve anything at all. I just do my best to make something out of it. I think we all do. Nevertheless, when reflecting back on the many, unforgettable moments it seems like if not for photography these moments would soon be all forgotten.

Hope you enjoyed my favorite photos of 2009!

Best Wishes

Seung Kye